Improvement in corpse-coolers



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J. SLEVIN.

urpse-Cnolers.

Patentad July i4, 1874L 1U; H l

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3 Sheets-8heqt 2. l. 1. SLEVIN. Corpse-Gamers.

Patented July 14, 1874.

1. A1. sLEvm. Corpse-Coolers.

Patented july 14,1874.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES J. SLEVIN, OF NET YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN CCRPSE-COOLERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,022, dated July 14, 1874 application tiled June 9, 1874.

To all whom it may concern v Be it known that I, J AMES JOSEPH SLEVIN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have made an invention of a Refrigerating- Catafalque; and that the following is a full, clear, and exact description and specification ot' the same.

The object of the invention is t-o provide afreezing-receptacle for a corpse which enables it to be preserved without contact with ice or with a refrigeratin g mixture, and at the same v cates with it, so that there may be a circulation of atmosphere between the two, are component parte, The said combinations are set forth in detail at the close of this specification 5 and in order that the invention may be fully understood, l have represented in the accompanyin g drawing, and will proceed to describe, a refrigerating-catatalque embodying my invention in the best form known to me at the present date.

In the said drawings, Figure l represents a side view of the catafalque set up for use and draped with an ornamental pall. Fig. 2 represents a side view of the said apparatus without the pall. Fig. 3 represents a central vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 4 represents a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 5 represents the top of the apparatus. Fig. 6 represents a horizontal section ofthe apparatus at the elevated refrigerantreceptacle. x

The catafalque represented in the said drawings has two principal sections, viz., the elevated refrigerantreceptacle A for the refrigeratin g material, and the subjacent corpsechamber B. The elevated refrigerant-receptacle consists of an exterior case, o, andan interior ice-pan, d. The former is, by preference, lined with one or more layers ot' felt, f, or is constructed with double walls, so as to obstruct the transmissionof heat. vThe interior ice-pan is constructed, by preference, of sheet metal, in the form of a deep pan, whose bottom is tight, so as to prevent liquids from dropping upon the corpse. At one corner ot' this pau there is a hole and a nozzle, to which a pipe, a., is applied to conduct the liquid which may proceed from the refrigerating material to drain beneath the catafalque, where a tub may be placed to receive it. The drainpipe is formed, by preference, of india-rubber,

and is extended down through a hole in thebottom of the corpse-chamber. The ice-pan d is smaller than the interior of the casing o, so that there is a circulating-space, g, between the two, and openings h are formed in the sides ot' the pan to permit the air to circulate. The lower edges of these openings are provided with projecting guards e, to prevent the accidental escape of any of the refrigeratin g material. The top j of the elevated refrigerant-receptacle is made movable, so that it may be removed to permit of the supply of refrigerant without disturbing the contents of the corpse-chamber. The corpse-chamber is con structed with a tight bottom and sides, and it is open at the top, to which the refrigerant- 'receptacle is fitted, so that the latter forms a tight cover for the corpsechamber and prevents the access of external air; but as the space g between the ice-pan d and the lining of the case c communicates around the bottom of the ice-pan, as at s, Figs. 3 and 4, with the corpse-chamber, and as there are openings in the side ofthe ice-pan, a constant circulation of air can take place between the elevated refrigerant-receptacle and the subjacent corpsechamber. Moreover, as the air which may be- 'come warmed in the lower chamber tends to ascend, while the cold air in the refrigeratingchamber tends to descend, a practically equable temperature is maintained in both chambers--the temperature in the corpse-chamber being, by practical tests, only about two degrees ot' Fahrenheit higher than that in the elevated refrigerant-receptacle. The corpse is thus immersed in a cold atmosphere without necessarily being put in contact with the refrigeratin g material, and without the necessity of inserting any pan or other holder for a refrigerating material at the sides of the corpse inthe corpse-chamber; consequently the corpse can be inspected while in the catafalque.

In order to permit the inspect-ion and exhibition ofthe corpse, one or more sides of the corpse-chamber, and by preference all four sides, are made transparent by being formed of glass panels b b; and inorder to prevent the transmission of heat to the interior these sides are doubled-the exterior side 7c being, by preierence,formed of wood and lined with felt, or being formed of glass set at a short distance from the internal side, so as to inclose between the two a space for air, which will act as a non-conductor. When the eX- tcrnal sides are made of wood, as represented,

they are arranged to slide in grooves, so that4 they ma-y be lowered, as represented in dotted lines in Fig. 4, to permit of the exhibition of the corpse. The external sides, when raised, may be held up by hooks t, or other fastenings.

1n order that the corpse may be readily inserted and removed, one side panel, and by preference the end panel b, is made removable, and a movable corpse-table, M, lis provided. This consists of a grating of wood fitted at one end with a pair ot' wheels, n, so that it may be readily moved endwise upon the bottom p of the corpse-chamber. This corpse-table may be placed with a slab ot' marble, m, and a head-rest, w, also of marble, may be added.

The catafalque, when set up for use, is sustained upon two stools, D D, and may be draped with an ornamental cover or pall, E. As the elevated iei'rigerant-chamber, the corpse-chamber, and the stools may all be sepa-rated, the apparatus may be readily taken down and removed from place to place. The catafalque thus constructed does away with the repulsive appearance of the ordinary socalled icecofiins ;v it permits the corpse to be prepared and clothed for burial immediately after decease, as the garments are not moistened or affected by the action of the refrigerant; it permits of the inspection of the corpse during its preservation; it requires the expenditure of but a small quantity of ice to preserve the body, and it permits of the use of a refrigerating mixture, such as ice and salt, `for the purpose of reducing the temperature below the freezing-point, because no portion, either of the said mixture or of the liquid owing from it, can come in contact with the corpse.

I claim as my invention- 1.. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the elevated refrigerant-receptacle and the subjacent corpse chamber, having a transparent side so that the body may be exhibited laterally.

2. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of the elevated ice-pan having guarded openings, the elevated case for such pan separated from the pan by a space, and the subjacent corpse-chamber, whose interior communicates with the space around the said icepan.

3. The combination, substantially asbefore JAMES JOSEPHSLEVIN. Vitnesses:

W. H. IsAAos, W. L. BENNEM. 

